Independents shouldn't act alone

Pity the independents and minor parties who will make up the cross-benches in Federal Parliament. They've got a long list of new best friends, eager to have their support in forming a minority Labor or Coalition Government. Independent MP in the state seat of Gippsland East, Craig Ingram knows exactly what pressure they're under.

Imagine this: You're a political hopeful running as an independent in one of the tightest elections Victoria has seen in years.

You've managed to knock off the incumbent in a traditional National Party seat.

Suddenly the men from both sides of politics who want to form a government in Victoria, are eager to meet with you.

Power brokers from the major political parties know your name.

And you've been tipped off that someone is running a check on you to dig up some dirt.

Welcome to politics Craig Ingram.

It was September 1999 when Craig Ingram, along with independents Susan Davies and Russell Savage found themselves holding the balance of power in Victoria after a cliff-hanger state election.

The choice was to help Labor form a minority government under the leadership of Steve Bracks or support another term of the Coalition under Jeff Kennett. The independents went with Steve Bracks.

Ten years later, only Craig Ingram is left of the trio. He said he can identify with the difficult decision to be made by a few men holding the fate of national governance in their hands.

"It will be an incredible amount of pressure. In the end it's going to come down to a few individuals who will make the decision for the Australian people. It's a much bigger parliament and I suppose the prize is much bigger at a federal level than a state level," Mr Ingram said.

"You end up with a lot more friends very quickly and a lot of people trying to give you advice.

"I'd spent a lot of time trying to lobby government and we'd been basically turned away from the doors of the Victorian Parliament to being, even before I was sworn in as a Member, ushered into the Premier's office and having discussions with them."

The discussions between the ALP and the Coalition with the Federal independents and minor parties are due to begin.

Craig Ingram believes the national interest could do quite well out of the process.

"What you do find in minority governments is the outcomes of the government are more reflective of the community's views and if the Opposition plays politics on issues, then it doesn't go well," he said.

"You need to try and find a consensus and take the party politics out of the Parliament.

"This election in my view was the biggest gross corruption of the political process where it was not about 'Australia decides'. It was about 20 individual marginal seats which had more visits from Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott and money being funded to them in election promises.

"If you look at Gippsland, there was to my knowledge, not one commitment."

Mr Ingram said he had called two of the independents, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to congratulate them.

"They're better off working as a bloc to make that decision (on which party to support)," he said.